1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to managing and presenting dynamic context information to a user.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer technology has provided an ability to bring ever larger informational resources to bear on solving problems. However, the methods for obtaining or absorbing this information typically require a high degree of the user's attention in order to absorb the information. Conventional systems require the user's focus of attention be completely directed to the information retrieval application. Often, however, the user's attention is distracted from absorbing the material and is instead focused on the how to retrieve the information. As a result, problem solving becomes serialized. In particular, a large amount of time and attention is directed to information retrieval instead of information analysis.
For example, video cameras of key traffic bottlenecks are regularly broadcast on television stations. However, to access this information, the user must wait for the television station to broadcast the traffic report, while all the time keeping the user's attention focused on the television. Moreover, the user must actively tune the television to the broadcasting station of interest to acquire the desired information. This process requires a shifting of the user's focus of attention from the user's primary task to the secondary task of acquiring traffic status information.
Web-based cameras and remote sensing allow users to select the desired information more quickly. However they still require specific action and direct attention on the part of the user. For example, a web browser must be opened and a specific web page or URL loaded to obtain the traffic picture information.